Nutritional enrichment involves the presentation, preparation, and delivery of foods, treats, and foraging opportunities. A wide variety of food should be available during the juvenile stage of parrots even if the base diet has fulfilled the nutritional requirements in order to maximize the feeding options and enrichment for adult stage. It is recommended to offer new food items at least three times per week. Foraging enrichment for captive birds is encouraged to mimic the natural behavior in wild birds that spend approximately four to six hours or more than half of its waking hours to feed. For birds in captivity, foraging opportunities can be provided by hiding food in containers or toys, placing food in puzzle toys, or scattering food with inedible objects. This may also help birds with nutritional neophobia by associating foraging containers with food. Diseases Pionus parrots are susceptible to Neoplastic diseases including hemangiosarcoma, squamous cell carcinoma, nephroblastoma, proventricular adenocarcinoma, lipoma, and xanthomas. Hemangiosarcoma Hemangiosarcoma is a malignant tumor that commonly occurs at sites of beak, wings, feet, legs, and cloaca. It is locally invasive and multicentric. Surgical removal is not curative as the majority of tumors will regrow within days to months. An average age of affected birds is 11 years with a range of 3 to 20 years, and there is no sex predilection. Squamous cell carcinoma Squamous cell carcinoma is a malignant tumor that commonly occurs at sites of skin, and upper gastrointestinal tract. The site in which it occurs affect the survivability of the bird; infection in the beak, oral cavity, or esophagus often leads to death due to uncontrolled growth of tumor. Chronic irritation, feather picking, and inflammation will promote the proliferation of tumors. There is no sex predilection. Xanthomas Xanthomas are masses or thickened and dimpled areas of skin that are yellowish orange in appearance. It is invasive and predominately occurs in internal organs. The average age of occurrence is 10 years with a range of 3 to 30 years. Treatments involves surgical resection or amputation, in adjunction with dietary modification depending on the location of the xanthoma. The respiratory, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal system of Pionus parrots are commonly infected by Aspergillus. Hand fed pionus are more susceptible to Candidiasis due to unsanitary feeding equipment. Chlamydophila is also common in pionus birds residing in Central and South America. References Stiles and Skutch, A guide to the birds of Costa Rica External